title: Using historical research to make sense of our past, our present and our future. 2. Uncovering source material.
abstract: This article is the second of a series of four looking at the use of historical research to explore midwifery. It focuses on the identification and use of source material to answer historical questions. There are a huge variety of sources that can be used in order to do this, ranging from old textbooks, hospital records or midwives' registers, to paintings, emails and objects. Several different types of sources can be used to study a particular question, and are valuable in demonstrating change over time, as well as different opinions on issues.
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McIntosh
mesh_terms: D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006676:History of Nursing; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006700:Home Childbirth / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011247:Pregnancy; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D016387:Women's Health